Attaining The Impossible
by Kasumi Nekozawa
Summary: Matthew Williams wasn't supposed to exist. He was just a terrible accident that happened between Queen François Bonnefoy and a servant. And in order to keep that accident a secret, the Queen locked little Matthew up in one of the high towers of the castle. It wasn't until a curious Alfred F. Jones wandered into the tower that Matthew started believing he wasn't just an accident...
1. Chapter 1

**Kasumi Note: **Well, here I am again with the second story of my chronicles. To those who are following "The White Rose of Innocence", I'm really sorry for the slow update. Our school's Sports Fest is coming up and I'm pretty busy trying to prepare. But don't worry I'll get the third chapter out soon. I hope… *crosses fingers*  
In the meantime, please enjoy this little story of mine. It's still part of the Chronicles of the Rose, but it isn't connected to Lili's story whatsoever. This happens in the same world as Lili's, though. There'll be a lot of OCs here, since I just love my OC!Philippines. I hope you won't be bothered by them and would just read this fic. And, oh yeah! Thanks a lot for taking time to read this note! *bows* Ja ne!

**The HUMAN names of the OCs and others are as follows:**  
Australia – Kyle Kirkland  
New Zealand – Jason Kirkland  
Philippines – Maria Ana dela Cruz  
Seychelles – Sesel Creole

**Warning: **Shota-con, scandals, BOYxBOY, yaoi, drama, OOCness

**Disclaimer: **Axis Powers Hetalia and its characters do not belong to me. Hidekaz Himaruya created them to save this world from utter boredom.

* * *

The full moon cast a bright and hypnotic glow over the sleeping citizens of Ciel. The few merchants left by the city streets were packing up, pushing their tiny carts towards their homes. Silence was the only thing that can be heard in the kingdom, as all other sounds seemed to be asleep. All the lights were out as a cloak of darkness hung around the kingdom. The only room which remained lit was the Queen's room in the castle. The Queen had a guest for the night, a guest that who was oddly nervous…

"Is there a reason why you brought me here, François?" a man clad in pheasant's clothes asked. He was seated across from the Queen's bed in a large velvet chair.

The Queen took a deep breath, her hand placed protectively over her stomach. "I have… Rather amusing news for you…" she tried to joke, an awkward smile spread across her face.

The man raised an eyebrow. "I'm intrigued. Do tell what it is…" he replied, clasping his hands on his thighs.

The Queen shuffled uneasily on the edge of her bed, her eyes never moving from her lover. The King and young Prince Francis were out training in the woods. She now had time to meet with her lover without their knowledge.

"You would not believe this…" she began, "But I'm pregnant… With your child…"

The man visibly stiffened, but his violet eyes remained emotionless. He ran a hand nervously through his curly blonde locks and looked at the Queen. She felt herself tense under his scrutinizing gaze.

"When… How… Who else knows about this?" he asked, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.

The Queen shook her head. "No one knows anything…"

"Good" was the last word the man uttered before he stood up, walked to the door and left. The Queen remained calmly seated on her bed, thoughts on how to hide the truth running through her mind. When she could think no more, she rested her head in her hands and cried.

* * *

The sun was just beginning to rise above the high mountains that protected the valley of Ciel, its light tainting the sky with a light blue hue. As the light fell on one of the high towers of the castle it was immediately greeted by a smiling blonde baby.

"Good morning, my dear Matthew…" Queen François greeted the child. She took him from the Nurse's arms and kissed his smooth forehead.

The baby responded to the touch by giggling. The Queen began to stroke the baby's blonde locks, making the latter lean in to her hand.

"You may leave us, Amelia…" she said to the Nurse.

The young woman curtseyed, hurriedly leaving the room. François sat on a chair found on the far side of the room. She lifted the baby up, letting the sunlight shine on its beautiful face.

She sighed and brought the baby to her bosom. "You look exactly like your father, _mon cher_…" she whispered, "Which is why I will not let anyone see you..."

The baby looked up, violet eyes filled with curiosity. He tilted his head, as if to say he did not understand. François smiled and kissed him again.

"Do not worry, Matthew…" she said. She placed him back on the crib at the center of the large room.

"I'll keep you safe in this tower. No one will find you, no one will harm you, and no one will know you exist…" she whispered to the innocent child, "As long as Amelia Jones does not utter a word, we are safe. Our secret will be left buried. You do not need to worry, _mon ami_, everything will be fine…"

She strode to the rather small wooden door and opened it. Once she was out, she put a heavy padlock on the door. Amelia, who did not walk away from the room, stood waiting by the door. The Queen looked at her and gave her the key.

"I trust you, Amelia…" she said, "I want you to take care of _mon petite Mathieu… _And make sure he will never be able to leave this tower…"

All the poor woman could do was to nod her head, secretly opposing the idea of locking a child barely a week old in a high tower. She worried about the condition of Matthew, thinking that he may grow up deformed or disabled.

She had no idea that Matthew would grow up to be such a beautiful and feminine little boy. And that her son, Alfred, would be the one to set him free.


	2. Chapter 2

**Kasumi Note: **Yo, I'm back! And I'm sorry for those who are waiting for the thhird chapter of "The White Rose of Innocence", since I'm currently having a major writer's block. I can't seem to find a way to continue it. But rest assured, it will be finished. I'm not the kind of girl who discontinues her works. I'll get over this writer's block… *sigh*… Somehow…  
Moving on. I would like to say **THANK YOU **to those who read, followed, favorited and reviewed the first chapter of "Attaining The Impossible"! I didn't think people would even bother to look at it, seeing that I only posted one chapter. But, boy, was I surprised! Thank you so much for reading and as a token of gratitude, I made this second chapter more eventful than the other one. I had been writing this in school during our one-week Sports Fest so I really hope it doesn't sound too rushed. I hope you guys enjoy reading this chapter since it is my personal favorite… BYE~!

* * *

Twelve long years had passed since Matthew was born, yet no one still knew of his existence. The Queen had been successful in keeping her secret and Emily F. Jones had been very cooperative. The poor boy had remained locked in the tower; the stuffed polar bear his mother had given him remained his one and only companion. Emily had stopped coming when he turned six, just as the Queen had ordered her to do. With the exception of his mother, no other human being has ever entered the tower.

"Good morning, Kumamishi…" came a soft whimper from the pile of bedsheets that rested atop a ridiculously large bed on the far side of the room's left wing. Unknown to everyone, a little boy had been sleeping under that pile of bedsheets. He had just recently stirred awake.

"_Who are you?"_

Matthew rubbed his eyes, getting rid of the last traces of sleep from his face. "You silly bear, I'm Matthew…" he answered.

The sun had barely risen over the high mountains of Ciel and the sky still looked dark and dreary. The entire kingdom was still asleep and the only animals that were up were the bats that roamed the kingdom's lush forest. This was not the right time for a little boy to be up. And yet, this was the time Matthew loved. It was this time between dusk and dawn that Matthew's bear would begin to speak. When the magic his mother had cast on the inanimate object begant to take place. The time when the boy finally had someone to talk to.

"_So, are you going out of this tower today?"_

"I hope so. I'm already twelve, eh. Mother might let me go…" he replied as he sat up and began to stretch.

"_That's what you said yesterday. And the day before that. And the week before the day before yesterday…"_

Matthew's shoulders slumped. "I know, eh! No need to remind me!" he whined, sticking his tongue out at the polar bear. He sighed, looking out at the slowly rising sun that he could see through the room's only window.

"_What happens if she won't let you out again?"_

"Then…" his voice trailed off, "Then I'll ask for more roses… These blue roses mother always gives me seem to lighten up my mood everytime my eyes wander towards them…"

He looked at the elegant blue roses by his bedside table. They were placed in a slender violet vase that matched the violet in Matthew's eyes. The blue roses, as Queen François had explained, were a symbol of the Kingdom of Ciel. It was was present in their kingdom's Coat of Arms and fashioned in the knights' armor and shield. And, of all the flowers Matthew was presented with, this flower seemed to be his personal favorite.

"_You always look at those. Do you even know what that color means? Your mother mentioned it once, right? That all the roses in all the kingdoms of Rosalia stand for something…"_

Matthew tilted his head sideways, eyes never once leaving the bouquet of blue roses. "I think I remember, Kumashiro…" he replied slowly, "Mother mentioned that the blue rose represents 'the impossible'… They can also mean 'the unattainable'…"

"_Don't they mean the same thing?"_

Matthew gigled. "Wow! You sure are smart, Kumakazu!" he joked.

"_I'm Kumajirou! Who are you?"_

"I'm Matthew. Matthew Williams…" he sighed, closing his eyes to think.

"_**The impossible, eh… Like leaving this awful tower? It seems these flowers reflect my own feelings… Freedom seems to be unattainable for me, just like everything else that I want... Friends, laughter, fun… These are all unattainable… Oh, I pray mother might have mercy on me today… Maybe, if I am behaved, she might let me out… Maybe… Maybe…"**_

* * *

"ALFREEEEED!" came the voices of a dozen angry cooks and maids. The owner of the name, a little blonde boy the age of twelve, dashed through them leaving a trail of fallen pots, pans and plates in his wake.

"Sorry, gotta go!" he yelled over his shoulder, never once stopping to help pick up the fallen things. His clothes were covered in mud and sweat had accumulated in the cowlick on his mass of blonde hair. As he grinned, traces of what seemed to be chocolate covered his white teeth.

"I must've outran them already…" he thought to himself, glancing back to see if anyone was following him. He was completely unaware of the angry woman that situated herself in his path.

_***CRASH!***_

He fell face first on the ground, the woman behind him smirking with her foot still raised. The courtyard errupted in a chorus of laughter as Alfred slowly rose up to reveal his dirt covered face. He was pouting and tears pooled on the corners on his eyes. When his blue eyes wandered sideways, they caught sight of a group of kids that hid behind one of the horses. His face turned red when he saw the group laughing at him.

"What'd you do that for, Ma!" he whined, getting up and roughly wiping his hands on his dirty jumper.

"You know you deserved that, Alfred…" Emily smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"But I didn't do nothing!" he protested, kicking and imaginary stone.

"Oh, really now…" Emily began, "Then tell me, who ate Maria's chocolate? Who pushed Sesel into the pond? Who stepped on Jason's foot? Who shoved Kyle into the pig pen? And who in the world wrecked the kitchen, hm?"

Alfred's face flushed when he realized what he had done. "I just wanted a piece of Maria's chocolate, but the piece she gave me was so small! So, I took it from her and ate it all! She became all angry and stuff so she chased me. Naturally, I ran away. I didn't mean to push Sesel into the pond! She was in my way and it was her fault for leaning too close into it! " he explained , not even pausing to breathe, "And Jason was just sitting there in the middle of the garden. I mean, who does that? I thought his foot was a snake to I stepped on in. When I reached the stables, Kyle was feeding the pigs. I wanted to talk to him and all but Maria was still on my trail! I ended up pushing shoving him to the pigs! And about the kitchen, they should make it bigger! Do they know how hard it is to run in that place? I mean, everyone was angry and stuff that the pots fell. But I said sorry! I really did!"

Emily F. Jones just listened patiently to her son's wild ramblings, amusing herself by paying close detail to Alfred's movements. He waved his hands here and there, renacting everything he had done that afternoon. She smiled to herself, pleased that Alfred still had a lot of energy left in him.

"Okay, Alfred! You can stop explaining now…" she butt in. Alfred was in the middle of explaining how Maria should've just given him a bigger piece so he woulnd't have to run and none of those things would've happened.

"Aw, Ma! I was just getting' to the good part!" he complained, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Don't worry, Al… You'll have a lot of time to tell me what happened…" Emily comforted, "After you've swept the floors in the castle towers…"

"That aint' fair, Ma!" he yelled, "The castle towers haven't been swept forever! It's gonna take me forever to finish sweeping!"

Emily smiled. "Then you better get started, Mister!" she demanded, pointing to a broom and a dust pan that leaned on the stable door.

Alfred grumbled but didn't refuse. His Ma could be as scary as hell if she wanted to be and he didn't want that happening. He was lucky that she only tripped him. She could have done worst things like giving him a headlock or twisting his arm.

"Man… Ma can be such a nag sometimes…" he complained, trudging towards the entrance that the servants usually use to enter the castle. He looked up at the flight of stairs he had to climb before he reached the towers and an idea came to his mind.

"I could make this fun!" he thought, "I'll pretend that I'm a knight tryin' to save a princess. I'll be a hero!"

He began to climb up the stairs hastily, his long legs going at them two at a time. "I'm here to save ya'! Wait for me, my princess!" he yelled, climbing faster.

Alfred had no idea what he was getting himself into. Completely unaware of how loud his voice was, he kept yelling as he neared the end of the long staircase. Once there, he yelled at the top of his lungs, calling out to his imaginary princess. He told her that he was coming and he was going to take her away from the wretched tower.

* * *

Matthew had been drawing with his back to the window when he heard people laughing from below. He sighed and let his pencil drop from his hand to the floor. His drawing was that of a man with a bouquet of roses, something that came into his mind that morning when he stared at the blue roses on his bedside table.

"Why are they laughing, Kumashinji?" he asked his bear. The think did not reply. He sighed, remembering that the magic always wore off when the sun had reached the place where the bear had been placed.

"Very well then, I'll go see what is happening myself…" he said, turning around so his face looked out of the large window. He could see a blonde boy sitting in the middle of the courtyard, a woman standing in front of him. Something in the way the woman stood told Matthew that the young boy was her son.

"Oh, it that Emily?" he asked himself, squinting in the afternoon sun. He could see the red hair clip his nurse fondly wore and realized that the woman really was Emily F. Jones.

"My, Miss Emily has grown!" he exclaimed, studying the woman's features from his place by the window, "Yet she seems as vibrant as always… She looks like she hasn't even gained any wait! Oh, how I long to see her again! And that must be her son! I wonder how old he is… Maybe he is about my age. That would be great! If I get out of here, I could come and play with him!"

"Who would you play with, _mon ami?_" came a voice from the door.

Matthew turned to see his mother, elegantly dressed in a red satin gown. Age had been kind to her and she looked as young as she did ten years ago. Deep concern was mirrored in her face as she walked towards Matthew, stretching out her arms for him.

"Come, give your _Maman _a hug…" she said.

Matthew stood and ran towards her, coiling his arms around her waist and pulling her in a tight embrace. "_Bonjour, Maman…_" he greeted, "What has brought you here when you are busy preparing for war?"

Queen François shook her head, sitting on the edge of Matthew's bed. "I came to see if you are alright… You seem upset, _mon cher_… Is something going on in your mind?" she asked. "Why don't you come sit next to me and we can talk…" she said patting the space beside her.

Matthew did as was told and sat there, resting his head on his mother's shoulder. "_Maman_, I-I wanted to a-a-ask you something…" he stuttered, waiting to see his mother's reaction.

"What is it _Matthieu?"_ she replied.

Matthew took a deep breath.

"_**I want to leave this tower. I want to play with the servants' children. They all seem so fun and playful that I envy them… Oh please, Maman? Can't you let me go?" he thought.**_

He roughly shook his head, dismissing the thought of asking such a silly request from his mother. Instead, he chose to ask her of the country's state; "How is the war between our army and the pirates of Rouge? Has the King made any advancements yet?"

The Queen's eyes widened in surprise. "My, my… You seem oddly interested in Ciel's affairs…"

"Well, big brother Francis is in the army, is he not? I just wanted to know if he is doing fine…" he lied.

"You're brother is a trained swordman and an equally skillfull lady's man. He is already seventeen, I am sure he can take care of himself…" Queen François replied, amused at how Matthew listened to her every word.

"Oh. And what about the pirates of Rouge? Are they also skillful?" he asked fearfully.

"People speak often about their captain. Though I always seem to forget his name. What was it again… Kurt? Allen? Alex? Oh, it's at the tip of my tongue!" the Queen joked, playfully tickling the sides of Matthew's stomach.

"_Maman! _P-P-Please hurry and remember! I-I-I can't seem to stop laughing!" he managed to say through his laughter.

"Oh, now I remember!" the Queen announced, her hand stopping. Matthew managed to take in a feew gulps of air. "Arthur! That was it! His name is Arthur Kirkland! He has three sons; Allistair, James and Arthur…"

Matthew titled his head. "He named one son after himself?"

"Yes, the people say it's because he had chosen his third son as his successor to the throne. If being a captain of a fleet of stinky pirates would be worth calling a throne…"

Matthew leaned in closer to his mother. "_Maman,_I remember you mention that we had two servants who are also named Kirkland? Are they related to our enemy?"

"Oh, Jason and Kyle are very sweet. I do not dare think they are related to the captain of that unruly country! Alas, they are his children. Borne from a woman whose name he doesn't even remember…"

Matthew nodded in understanding. He had ran out of things to ask. He wondered if now was the time for him to ask him mother if he could go out and play with the children today. He gathered all of his will and began to say; "_Maman, _I-"

"I'm sorry, _petite…_ But I have to leave…" Queen François interrupted, her eyes fixed on something above Matthew's head.

The latter followed her gaze and saw that a dove had perched itself on one of his bookshelves. It had a note in its beak that told Matthew it had flown into the tower for a reason.

"The King has summoned me and I am to go to him…" his mother explained, taking the bird from the shelf. She held it close to her bosom and smiled at Matthew. "We shall talk later, _oui?_"

Matthew nodded meekly, wishing that he had asked his mother's permission earlier when he still had the chance. He watched with sad eyes as his mother closed the door behind her. Once again, he was alone. He looked out the window and saw that Emily was not in the courtyard anymore. He sighed, wondering what his former nurse was doing. His mind wandered to Emily's son. What would it feel it that boy was to play with him? Would he have fun like the children in his stories?

He began to think of the different games he could play when he finally met people his age. He rested his head on his hand and began to drift to sleep. He would have gone on forever thinking of the many impossible things he could do outside that he could never do in the tower. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted when he heard footsteps coming up the staircase. He quickly walked towards the door and leaned into it, placing his ears right above the door's handle.

"I'm coming to save ya'! Wait for me, princess!" came the voice of a young boy.

Matthew's heart skipped a beat. "I-I am not a princess!" he whined, "And I certainly do not need saving!"

"_Are you sure?"_

Matthew spun around and saw that the sun was now a few inches away from his stuffed bear. The bear could now talk again.

"_Who are you?"_

Matthew's brow twitched. "I told you I'm Matthew!" he yelled in annoyance, "And I do not need saving!"

Alfred heard the voice and stopped in his tracks. "Uhm, is anyone here?" he asked, looking around cautiously. "H-H-Hey… If ya' don't need any saving, I'll go back down. It's all good, bro!"

"No!" Matthew yelled on impulse. Okay, so this kid called him a Princess. But, this kid seemed to sound fun. And Matthew ached for a human companion. Someone who would play with him, talk with him and laugh with him. He was not going to let this oppurtunity slip through his fingers.

"Wait, please don't go!" he yelled, softly this time. "I d-don't need any saving… B-B-But I need a friend…"

Alfred smiled. This ghost didn't seem so bad. In fact, his voice sounded as if he were a bit lonely. "Then I'll be your friend, Mr. Ghost!" he declared, dropping his broom.

Matthew became annoyed. "First he called me a princess. Now I'm a ghost… Can't he make up his mind?" he complained to himself.

Alfred waited patiently for Matthew's reply. When nothing came, he called out for him. "Hey! Where are ya'? You're here in this tower, aint' ya? Why don't you show yourself?"

"I-I-I can't!" Matthew replied.

"_Idiot. The door's locked from the outside."_

"He can't hear you, Kumasama… Shut up…"

Alfred brows crinkled. "Why not? Where are you anyways? I'll let you out!" he replied, striking his usual hero pose.

Matthew felt his heart beat faster. "I'm going to get out…" he told himself. Even if he was not able to ask his mother's permission, this boy had stumbled upon him like some kind of blessing and was telling him that he would set him free.

"Hey!" Alfred yelled again, getting impatient. "Tell me where you are already! I can't help you if I can't see you!"

Matthew took a deep breath to gather his nerves. "Second door to the left of the staircase!" he yelled back. He kept his fingers crossed as he wished and wished that this was not just his imagination. That someone was really out there listening to him.

Alfred, on the other hand, wasn't the least bit worried. Instead, he was excited. Who new such a big adventure was waiting for him in the castle towers? He felt like some knight-in-shining-armor as he ran to where the voice instructed him to go and stopped in front of the huge bolted door.

"Wait up! I'll have to remove this here bolt! Stand back!" he yelled. Matthew heard him through the door and he did as he was told. He moved a few steps backward and braced himself for what was to happen.

He heard a loud clunk on the other side of the door and Alfred's voice say "Got it!". He couldn't help but smile. Just a few seconds and he would be able to play with somebody his age for a change. The more excited he became the more the feeling of worry grew in his stomach.

"It's not a dream. It's not a dream. Oh, please! Don't let this be a dream!" he repeated again and again like some kind of chant that kept everything real and possible.

The door opened and Alfred walked in. He had a big smile on his face and his blue eyes glittered like gold. His face and clothes were coverd in dirt and his hair was a mess with a drop of sweat running down his unruly cowlick. His mother would have been outraged to see Matthew with a boy like that, bu the latter didn't care anymore.

"Yo! You called for me?" was the first thing that came out of Alfred's mouth.

Matthew couldn't believe it. He was talking to someone his age. Finally, another human being. "Y-Y-Yes… Thank you for answering…" he replied, tears streaming down his face.

Alfred began to worry. "Hey! Why're ya' crying?! You should be greatful that a hero like me heard you! Why are you sad?" he rambled, closing the door as he walked closer to Matthew.

"I-I-I'm just happy! I-I-I'm not alone anymore!" he replied joyfully.

Alfred smiled even wider. "Of course you aint' alone! I'm here!" he comforted.

Matthew smiled, his curly blonde hair falling to the side of his face. Alfred felt a blush creep to his face and he quickly looked away.

"H-H-Hey, who are you? And why are you locked up in here?" he asked, trying to hide the blush on his face.

"I'm Matthew. Matthew Williams…" Matthew replied, "My mother told me to stay here so that I may always be safe…"

Alfred's eyes grew wide. "What's wrong? You in danger or something?" he asked, looking around the room to see if he could find something suspicious. He ran to the bed and began to look under it, then he scanned the bookshelves and looked ou the window.

"Everythin' here seems to be fine…" he concluded, jumping on the soft bed.

Matthew giggled at how impulsive the other boy was being. "Oh, I'm not in any danger… My mother just worries too much…" he answered, taking a seat next to Alfred on the bed. "Well, I told you my name. It's about time you told me yours…"

Alfred grinned and gave him a thumbs up. "Alfred. Alfred F. Jones… You can call me hero if ya' want! But most of my friends call me Al…" he introduced.

"Al…" Matthew repeated, "Can I call you that too?"

"Of course you can, Mattie! We're friends now, aren't we?!" he agreed, leaning back until his back rested on the soft mattress.

"M-M-Mattie?!" Matthew stammered, "N-N-N-No one's ever calle dme that before…"

"Well, I'll be the first one then! Lucky me!" he laughed. A kind of laugh that made Matthew laugh with him.

"H-H-Hey… Wanna play with me, eh?" Matthew asked meekly, "I-I-I've never had anyone to play with…"

Alfred beamed and immediately stood up. "Sure! Let's do it!" he gradded Matthew's arm and dragged him towards the door.

Matthew stopped. "I-I-I can't leave, Al…" he whimpered when Alfred gave him a look, "My-My mother would be unpleased with me…"

"Oh…" Alfred's smile disappeared. An awkward silence fell and Matthew began to feel uneasy. "Then…" Alfred began, "We can play here!"

His face brigthened up again and Matthew smiled as well. The latter took a small ball from a chest at the foot of his bed and they started playing with it. For the entire day, they played, talked and laughed. Matthew almost forgot that Alfred had to go home. And when night fell, he was in tears as he watched Alfred close the door behind him.

"I'll come back tomorrow, Mattie!" he yelled as he bolted up the door, "I promise ya'! I won't leave ya' alone! I'll be your hero!"

"I'll wait for you everyday, okay Al?!" Matthew called back, "Please play with me again soon!"

"Promise, Mattie!"

Matthew heard his footsteps grow fainter and fainter. He slumped back on his bed and let his tears fall unto his pillow. He had such a fun time today and he feared that when he woke up tomorrow, everything woulc disappear. Hefeared that everything was just a dream.

"_Don't cry…"_

The bear patted his head and snuggled against his face.

"_He said he was coming back. Go to sleep already so you can see him sooner…"_

Matthew smiled and hugged the bear tightly. "Thank you, Kumaritsu…"

"_Who are you?"_

He smiled. "I'm Matthew…" _**And I exist.**_

* * *

**Kasumi Note:** To those who are wondering how many years older Francis is compared to Matthew, I would like to answer your questions. Francis is_five years older _than Matthew. To those who don't know who Sesel, Maria, Jason and Kyle are, just refer to the guide in the first chapter. This might seem like it's the last chapter, but believe me, it gets more dramatic in the next chapter. Thank you for your patience and I hope you'll be as patient when you wait for chapter 3!


	3. Chapter 3

The afternoon sun had set, signaling Emily that it was time for her to prepare dinner. She looked at the castle, half expecting Alfred to scurry down the courtyard and demand for food. When she saw no sign of the energetic little boy, she shrugged and headed towards her abode.

Once there, she immediately went into the kitchen and placed a pot full of water on the fire. As she waited for the water to boil, she busied herself with slicing vegetables and some meat. She looked out her window from time to time, secretly worried about Alfred. She wondered if the boy fell off one of the towers. The sound of small feet running proved her suspicions wrong.

"I'm back, Ma!" the door slammed open and Alfred's shrill voice filled the room.

Emily smiled, not looking up from her cutting board. "Welcome back, Alfred. You must be exhausted from all that cleaning."

Alfred appeared by the kitchen doorway, a huge smile on his face. "Nah, it was easy!" he bragged, darting towards his mother, "And guess what, Ma! Guess what!"

Emily looked at him, amused. "What, Alfred?"

Alfred's eyes shone with a glint of excitement. "I met a new friend! He's the same age as me, Ma! And he even looks like me! Don't ya think that's weird? I mean, two people can't look the same unless they're twins… Oh! Maybe we are twins! Ma, you never told me I had a twin!"

Emily plainly shook her head, the smile never disappearing from her face. "I assure you, Al, you don't have a twin. I would remember if you did…" she answered with a chuckle.

Alfred looked disappointed. "Yeah, I guess that's too good to be true…" he sighed, "But, that's fine! 'Cause even if we're not twins we're still friends! Right, Ma?!"

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Of course, Alfred!" she replied, "Now, tell me the name of this 'friend' of yours…"

Alfred's smile widened. "His name is Matthew!"

Emily's smile fell and she staggered backwards, accidentally hitting the plate of cut vegetables beside her. There was a loud "crash" as the plate fell and broke into a dozen pieces.

"Ma, are you okay?" Alfred rushed to her side, catching his mother's hand to steady her. He ran towards the small table in the middle of the room and grabbed a wooden chair.

Emily seated herself with the assistance of Alfred. "W-W-Who?" her voice was a bit shaky, earning a look of concern from Alfred.

"Ma weren't you listening?" he whined.

Emily shook her head unconsciously.

"His name is Matthew, Ma!" Alfred repeated, "Matthew! **MAAATHEEEW!** Matthew Williams!"

Emily shook her head. "No, it can't be…" she whispered to herself, "Not him… Anyone but him…"

Alfred got another chair for himself and sat across his mother. "What was that, Ma?"

Emily looked up at him, determination shining in her blue eyes. She held both Alfred's cheeks, forcing the boy to look up into her eyes. "You are to stop seeing this 'Matthew', Alfred… You are not to be friends with him, is that clear?" her voice was as cold as the barren lands of Chernyi*.

Disbelief clouded Alfred's eyes. "B-B-But… Why?" he asked, taking his mother's hands away from his now painful cheeks.

Emily refused to meet his disappointed gaze. Instead, she directed her attention at the flames by the hearth.

"You've outgrown the stage of imaginary friends, Alfred…" she said laconically.

"What are ya talking about?" Alfred screamed as he stood up. "Are ya saying Matthew's imaginary, Ma? Matthew **isn't** imaginary! He's real! He's real!"

"Alfred F. Jones!" Emily's voice was demanding and ominous. "Matthew is **not **real… Mathew... He…"

"He's what, Ma?!" Alfred yelled, hands curling into fists.

She looked at him, hurt blue eyes meeting cold sapphire orbs. "Matthew Williams does not exist."

* * *

The next day…

* * *

"Hey, wake up! Hey! Hey! Wake up!"

Matthew continued to toss and turn in his sleep, ignoring his bear's cries for him to wake up. Kumajirou sensed his master was not listening to him and decided to take drastic measures. Being careful to avoid the sunlight, Kumajirou climbed up one of Matthew's bookshelves placed right across his bed. Once at the top, he got into a diving position and jumped.

"Maple!" the boy yelled as Kumajirou's head made contact with his stomach.

"Wake up."

Matthew grunted, pushing the bear of the bed. "I'm up!" he said as he got up. He walked towards his wardrobe, picked a decent outfit, and then changed.

"You didn't have to jump on me, Kumakiro!" he nagged, picking the bear up from the ground and gently placing it back on his bed.

"You wouldn't wake up."

"What's so important about today, anyway?" Matthew asked. He was now seated in from of an empty piece of canvass, paintbrush in hand. He was about to start painting his favorite blue roses when Kumajirou spoke.

"Alfred."

The young blonde's hand stopped in midair, the blue paint slowly dripping down his brush. "Oh…" he muttered, "Alfred is coming today, isn't he?"

"Yes."

A blush crept to his cheeks as he remembered the rather enjoyable day he had with the energetic boy. He quickly placed his brush back in its place and ran excitedly towards the window. He scanned the courtyard until he caught sight of a bushel of golden hair.

"Alfred!" he yelled, waving his hands.

"He can't hear you."

"I know, Kumamuro!" he replied, "But I can try, right?"

"Try all you want, he still can't hear you."

Matthew puffed out his cheeks, pouted, and then stuck his tongue out at the monotonous polar bear. "Stop being such a stick-in-the-mud, Kumatarou! I'm sure Alfred will look this way! I'm sure he will!" Matthew sounded more like he was trying to convince himself rather than his bear. He leaned on the cold stone window and waited patiently, eyes never wandering from the blond-haired boy a couple dozen feet below him.

"Please turn around…" he silently begged.

Just then, as if the wind carried Matthew's message to Alfred's ears, the little boy turned around. No matter the distance, both were sure their eyes met. A smile found its way to Matthew's face and he waved his new friend "Good morning". Alfred, on the other hand, only shrugged.

"See. He wasn't looking at you."

"Yes he was!" Matthew could argue with the bear all day. He knew in his heart that Alfred saw him and no one was gonna convince him otherwise. "I'm sure he saw me! He even looked up! He obviously saw me!"

"Who saw you, _petite_?"

The door slowly swung open, revealing Queen François dressed in an azure silk dress. Matthew quickly dove to his bed, knocking Kumajirou right in the path of a ray of sunlight. He grabbed a book Alfred had left by his bedside and opened it to a random page.

"No one, _Maman_…" he murmured, looking up from the book as his mother seated herself on his bed.

"Are you sure, Matthew?" she asked, concern clouding her deep blue eyes, "I heard you talking to someone earlier. Was there anyone in this room besides you?"

Matthew glanced at Kumajirou then shook his head. "_Non, Maman_. I've only been talking with Kumakiro today. No one else came."

François smiled, gently stroking Matthew's hair. "Are you telling me the truth, Matthew?"

"_Oui."_

"And what was that commotion I heard earlier?" she narrowed her eyes, her fingers almost trembling; "You were saying someone saw you? Who saw you, Matthew?"

A flash of surprise showed itself in Matthew's amethyst orbs. It was tiny, highly unnoticeable. But, François caught it instantly. She brought her hand to the young boy's shoulders and squeezed them, hard.

"Who saw you, _Matthieu? _Tell me the truth…" she said in a low, almost terrifying tone.

Matthew trembled under the strength of her grip. He had never seen his mother this way. It terrified him to feel her nails digging into his soft skin.

"N-N-N-No one s-s-saw me, _Maman, _no one…" he stammered, trying to wriggle out of the Queen's grip.

But it was useless. François gripped his shoulders tighter, shaking the poor boy. The love in her blue eyes had disappeared and replaced by the look of fear. "Are you sure no one saw you, Matthew? You have to be honest with me, dear. No lies…"

Matthew shook his head vigorously, feeling the blood on his shoulders drain. "No one, _Maman! _No one!" he cried, a tear escaping his right eye.

François froze, loosening her grip and letting her hand slid down to Matthew's sides. She looked at the poor boy, tears streaming down his blushing cheeks. She touched her forehead and shook her head. "Matthew… Are you telling me the truth? Are you sure no one saw you?" she sighed.

Matthew wiped at his tears, "No… No one else but you, _Maman_…" he lied.

The Queen nodded then smiled softly. "Matthew…" she began, "You do know the reason why you're in this tower, right?"

Matthew slowly shook his head.

"You're here for your own protection." She ruffled his hair. "It is during these hard times that we know not where our enemy lies. I can't trust anyone anymore… That's why I won't ever let them get to you. It's to keep you safe…"

"_And to keep my secret safe…"_

Matthew thought he heard his mother's tone falter at the end, but he bade no notice. He let her kiss his forehead and watched longingly as she walked away. He then turned his attention to the blue sky outside his window.

Blue. The same color of Alfred's eyes. The eyes that would soon come back to play with him. The eyes that promised him eternal friendship.

Matthew found himself wishful again. He tried to forget the horrible expression on his mother's face and imagined the big smile Alfred greeted him with the other day. He smiled, softly humming to himself. He couldn't help but wish the day would move faster, so his only friend would finally come and play with him.

* * *

"Alfred…"

Emily's voice hung in the air that separated her from Alfred who was sulking on his bed. Alfred still hadn't gotten over the fight they had yesterday.

"What?" he snapped, head still buried under a pile of pillows.

"Lunch is ready. Do you wanna eat? Jason and Kyle are waiting for you…" Emily asked kindly, walking over to the blonde.

"I'm full. I don't wanna play with them right now. I wanna play with Mattie…" Alfred's voice was muffled, but Emily was certain it was still hoarse from all the yelling.

Emily sighed and then placed herself on a chair next to his bed. "Listen, Al…" she began, "I'm sorry for saying Matthew doesn't exist… It's just… You're too old for this kind of stuff, Alfred. You have real friends now… You don't need to make them up anymore…"

Alfred turned on his side to look at her, blue eyes damp with unshed tears. "He is real, Ma!" he yelled, throwing a pillow at her. "I saw him this morning! Matthew waved at me from the tower!"

Emily's eyes widened. She stiffened uncomfortably in her seat. "He… He waved at you?" her voice faltered as a bead of sweat formed above her brow, "You saw him, this Matthew?"

Alfred nodded. "I saw him with my own two eyes!" he argued, "You have to believe me, Ma! He does exist! You can't keep me from seeing him!"

Emily could feel anger rising from the pits of her stomach. She wanted to scream. To tell her only son he was just wasting his life trying to be the friend of the Queen's bastard. She wanted to stop him from hurting poor Matthew any further.

"Alfred, listen." She managed to control her voice, to keep it from rising. "Remember some time ago, when I changed my name?"

A nod.

"You didn't doubt me, right?" she asked, "You were fine with it. You didn't ask me why, right?"

"I didn't ask why because it wasn't a big deal!" Alfred explained, sitting up. "What's the difference between Amelia and Emily, anyways? 'Sides, I think Emily sounds cooler, Ma."

Emily stifled a giggle, ruffling up Alfred's blond hair. "Well, Al… There was an important reason as to why I did that…" she winked, trying to lighten up the mood. "You'll understand when you're older… And I'm sure you'll also understand why I can't have you seeing this Matthew anymore…"

Alfred's face fell and Emily had to swallow hard. She couldn't bear to see him this way. "Alfred. Please understand…" she pleaded, eyes closed. "I told you before; Matthew is just a figment of your imagination… He will ever ex-"

"You're wrong!" Alfred interrupted, jumping off the bed. "You're lying to me! You're lying!"

Emily would have yelled at him if Alfred hadn't run to the door, slamming it open and rushing outside like some mad man. Emily ran after him, calling out his name. But, the younger boy was too fast, and within seconds, he was out of Emily's sight. She ran across the courtyard, looking right and left, trying to spot a bushel of blond hair somewhere.

But, it was useless. Alfred had already climbed up the stairs that led to Matthew's tower. He had to find out if Matthew exists. He just had to.

* * *

"Matthew!"

Alfred had kicked the door open the moment it came to view on the top of the staircase. Matthew, who was seated on his bed, immediately jumped up and stared at Alfred glaring by the doorway.

"A-A-Alfred?"

Alfred walked forward, resting his hand on Matthew's cheek. "You…" he breathed, tucking a strand of hair behind Matthew's ear. "You do exist… I wasn't… Yesterday… It was all real!"

Matthew just stared at him, amethyst eyes wide. He nodded slowly, feeling Alfred's hand slide down from his face to his aching shoulders. "Of-Of course I exist, Alfred…" he sighed, smiling. "We were playing yesterday! We had so much fun!"

Alfred smiled. It was his usual, mega-watt smile. Matthew couldn't help but smile as well. And when Alfred pulled him in for a hug, Matthew couldn't help but burst into a fit of giggles.

"I knew Ma was lying to me!" he cried, finally letting Matthew go. "I knew you exist! I just knew it!"

Matthew shrugged, gripping his arms. "Hey, Alfred…" he whimpered, "Did. Did you see me earlier?"

"Huh?" Alfred tilted his head sideways, a question mark plainly pasted on his face.

"Uhm, earlier this morning… I-I waved to you…" Matthew blushed, "You saw that, right?"

Alfred beamed and he rushed towards Matthew's bed, yelling: "Of course I saw you!"

Matthew glowed as he sat himself beside Alfred. "Really? You actually saw me?" he asked, secretly sticking his tongue out at the now inanimate stuffed polar.

"Yeah, 'f course!" Alfred grinned, lying back on the bed.

Matthew felt a sting of pride growing in his heart. Pride, and something else. Something that put a smile on his face when he realized Alfred had been watching him from the courtyard. Something that made his stomach do a flip-flop when Alfred smiled at him from his place in his bed.

"Mattie?"

Matthew blinked, locking eyes with Alfred. "Yes?"

"Tickle fight!"

Alfred grinned as he lunged towards the smaller blonde, hands wiggling and exploring Matthew's sides. The latter was helpless, laughing and giggling, unable to do anything to his attacker. He wiggled his hands and tickled Alfred's sides. But, it seemed as if the other boy was already used to the tickling. He didn't writhe like Matthew did.

"C'mon, Mattie! You gotta do better than that!" Alfred dared, pushing Matthew down on the bed.

Matthew was still giggling when he spotted a cowlick on Alfred's almost perfect hair. He smiled, stretched out his hand, and pulled on it. Alfred's hands stopped, he jerked forward and he lied on top of Matthew, face flushed.

Alfred looked into Matthew's shocked face. "You know… You shouldn't have pulled that…"

With a grin, Matthew grabbed Matthew's own stray curl and pulled harshly on it. It earned him a yelp from the smaller blonde, who instinctively pulled on Alfred's cowlick as well.

They both flushed, feeling hot for some reason. Alfred was the first to notice that his breath was a little warmer than it used to be. He watched Matthew; the latter was writhing under his body as if he was molested or something. When Matthew opened his eyes, he was met by a rather eager-looking Alfred watching his every move. His already red face turned a shade darker and he whimpered.

"Alfred…"

Alfred smiled and winked. "You look cute, Mattie…" he whispered, closing his eyes and dipping his head.

Matthew closed his own eyes when he felt Alfred's lips press his. He felt happy, dazed, confused and all the feelings surge in him all at the same time. But when Alfred pulled back to stare at him, the door flung open. And his dream was shattered.

"I knew it! I knew it!" came the shrill voice of his mother. "You lied to me, _Matthieu!_ You told me no one saw you! Explain to me who this boy is, _petite!_"

François rushed to the two blondes, pulling Alfred by the collar of his shirt and throwing him against the wall. She glared at Matthew before pulling him by the hair, slapping him hard against the cheek.

"Why are you here?!" she yelled to Alfred, "What do you know about _mon petite Matthieu? _Who did you tell about him?! Did you tell anyone about his existence?!"

"_Maman!" _Matthew cried, trying to pry François' hand from his hair. "Alfred didn't do anything! He only played with me, nothing more!"

"Yeah, lady!" Alfred retorted, standing up. "You don't have to be mean to Mattie! Let 'im go!"

François sneered, throwing Matthew to his bed. "Silly brat!" she yelled, slapping Alfred as the younger charged at her with his small fists. "Who gave you permission to play with him? No one should be able to get up to this tower! You are simply trespassing!"

Alfred lightly touched the red spot on his cheek, his blue eyes filled with anger and fear. "I'm not trespassing! I work 'ere!" he countered.

"And I'm the Queen…" François' tone was harsh, sarcastic. "If anyone knew you were trespassing in my private room, you would be beheaded!"

At that instance, someone appeared from the doorway. It was Emily, her hands pale and her body shaking. By the way her eyes glimmered with fear when she looked at François; one would've guessed that she heard the entire conversation. She ran towards her son, kneeling down and pulling him into her arms.

"Oh, your Majesty, please don't do anything hasty…" she pleaded, "I… I promise to keep Alfred away from this tower… I promise!"

François' narrowed her eyes at the newcomer. "Amelia, is that you?" she exclaimed, "How. How could you? You swore that you would not tell a soul about Matthew!"

Emily shook her head. "My name is Emily now, your Majesty..." she confessed; her head bent down. "And I… I never meant for any of this to happen… Alfred was just… He was just curious… He never meant to-"

"Enough!" François voice echoed in the stillness of the room. She glanced about her, thanking every god that existed that no one heard them. It was still the afternoon after all; everyone must have been busy preparing lunch.

"The best I can do is to banish you…" François sighed, looking at Emily sternly. "Take your son and leave my kingdom…"

Matthew's eyes widened. "No! You can't do that _Maman_! Alfred is my only friend! You can't take him away from me!" he yelled, pushing past his mother and scrambling towards Alfred.

The other blonde struggled to free himself from his mother's embrace. He ran towards Matthew and hugged him, glaring at François as if she was some cold-hearted murderer. "I'm Matthew's hero…" his voice was cold, almost deadly. "I am staying with him…"

François narrowed her eyes at him. "You know too much…" she simply said, taking Matthew by the shoulder and dragging him away. "You have to leave… Both of you…"

"But why?!" Alfred yelled, trying to stand tall despite being way younger than the Queen. "Why do you have to banish Ma and I?! Why can't I stay with Mattie?!"

"Alfred."

Emily looked at him, pleading with her eyes. She placed her hand lightly on his shoulder until she could feel him breathing normally again. "Alfred… I'm sorry…"

"For what, Ma?" Alfred asked, looking up at her teary face. "You didn't do anything! It was all this Lady's fault!"

Emily shook her head. "No…" she insisted, "It was my fault for not being very convincing… I'm not as good a liar as Her Majesty…"

She narrowed her eyes at the Queen, who trembled at her cold gaze. "We will leave…" she agreed, drowning out all protest from Alfred. "But, it will be your duty to explain to the other servants…"

François raised an eyebrow, her arms crossed over her chest. "I shall see to it myself…"

"But, Ma!" Alfred began.

Emily looked at him, her eyes telling him not to worry about anything. He nodded and looked at Matthew. "I'll be back…" he mouthed.

Matthew started to cry, tears falling down his cheek. "Promise?" he replied.

Alfred simply nodded his head as Emily motioned them to leave. She took Alfred's smaller hand and led him to the door. François followed afterward. She took one last, murderous glance at Matthew before slamming the door shut. Matthew stood there for a moment before collapsing on the floor.

* * *

**K/N: **I'm sorry for the late update. Things got hectic with the end-of-the-year clearance coming up. Plus, I ended up catching the flu during the holidays. And there were lots of unseen circumstances and… Well, you get the picture! This chapter was a little rushed, didn't edit the spelling and grammar and all that. But glad it still followed my original intentions of separating Alfred and Matthew dramatically. It isn't as dramatic as it is in my head, but hey, I managed to separate them somehow! Well, let's all hope they'll get back together again, shall we?


End file.
